"Eh?!!"
Meng Xingyao had only asked with a "might as well try" attitude, never expecting Cat Sister to actually nod in agreement. Her eyes instantly widened, filled with disbelief.
Then, her eyes curved into crescents as she excitedly leaned forward, intimately hooking her arm through Cipher's and giving it a gentle shake.
"Hehe, Cat Sister, you're the best!"
"Oh? I thought your heart and mind were already so full of the Stellaron Hunters that you'd long since tossed me to the back of your mind."
Meng Xingyao immediately straightened her back and deliberately pinched her throat, replying in a sweet, coquettish voice,
"Ahem, not at all, not at all. The one I like the most is definitely Cat Sister~"
"Alright, alright, enough with the sweet talk."
Cipher laughed and poked her forehead.
"When they're free over there, I'll ask them for you."
"OK!"
The strength with which Meng Xingyao clung to Cipher's arm unconsciously increased.
The smile on her face almost reached her ears, and her sparkling eyes seemed filled with stars, her voice brimming with unconcealed excitement.
Although she had never met this mysterious Stellaron Hunter before, just from the rumors surrounding them, she already knew they were an existence not to be underestimated.
To say something borderline blasphemous...
Meng Xingyao even dared to speculate that if this Stellaron Hunter wished to, they could probably overturn the Order of the entire world single-handedly.
For someone like that, a mere bounty of several hundred million was laughably insignificant—not even enough to count as pocket change!
The Magic Wand glowing in her hand and the vast database stored within Little Hong were the most convincing proof.
Meng Xingyao (๑＞ᴗ＜๑): 'Someone capable of creating something this incredible must either be a mature, high-tech boss lady... or a mysterious, reclusive handsome guy, right?'
...
...
Meanwhile, back at Liu Xiyue's house.
Not long after Cipher left, the peace of the elegant Villa—which was usually so quiet that even the ticking of a clock could be heard—was suddenly shattered.
A tremendous upheaval erupted without warning.
Silver Wolf, who had finally caught her breath after sleeping, let out a yawn and casually ruffled her messy silver hair, her tone filled with lazy confusion.
"Huh? That's strange. Why do I suddenly feel like someone's talking behind my back... and with a hint of inexplicable mockery?"
Silver Wolf rubbed her slightly groggy temples before looking toward Firefly, who was standing not far away.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Firefly nodded lightly and casually brushed the dust from her skirt, her expression as calm as though nothing had happened.
Silver Wolf nodded in acknowledgment and stood shoulder to shoulder with Firefly, both of them surveying the devastation before them.
The Villa, which had been elegant and tidy only moments earlier, had now been reduced to complete ruins.
The walls had collapsed, broken bricks and debris were scattered everywhere, and raging flames surged into the sky alongside thick black smoke. A scorching wave of heat rolled toward them, threatening to consume everything in its path.
It turned out that after Cipher had left, the three of them had remained completely relaxed.
Silver Wolf had long since curled up in her room, drawn the blackout curtains, and gone back to sleep without any intention of leaving.
Meanwhile, Firefly had been enjoying her day off, curled up on the sofa with her phone. Her fingers occasionally tapped the screen as a silly, uncontrollable smile played across her lips, though no one knew what she was looking at.
However...
At that very moment, both the leisurely Silver Wolf and Firefly narrowed their eyes.
Almost simultaneously, the earth shook violently as the entire Villa collapsed with a deafening roar.
Fortunately, the two reacted quickly enough to escape in time.
Otherwise, they might have been buried beneath the rubble themselves.
However...
Silver Wolf (๑ᗜ ˰ ᗜ๑): "Firefly... did we forget something?"
Firefly (⊙ˍ⊙)?: "...Where's Liu Xiyue?"
The moment those words left her mouth—
Clack.
A faint sound echoed from the ruins beneath their feet.
The two looked toward it, only to see the once-motionless pile of rubble begin trembling slightly.
Pebbles rolled down one after another, as though something beneath was struggling to break free.
Realizing something at the exact same moment, they exchanged glances before silently taking two steps backward.
Rumble—
The next second, the ground shook violently, sending the rubble beneath their feet flying.
Immediately afterward, a blazing fireball wrapped in a scorching heatwave burst out from the ruins.
Its crimson brilliance instantly illuminated the entire wreckage, and even the surrounding air visibly distorted from the intense heat.
The fireball remained suspended for only an instant before dragging a crimson trail behind it and crashing straight toward the ground.
Bang—
A heavy impact echoed through the area, accompanied by another violent tremor.
The fireball landed directly in front of Firefly and Silver Wolf.
The tremendous impact unleashed a blazing heatwave, sending dust and sparks flying in every direction. Even their hair fluttered under the powerful gust.
Firefly and Silver Wolf, who had already stepped back beforehand, remained completely expressionless as they calmly watched the fireball before them.
Aside from Firefly's skirt fluttering slightly in the hot wind, neither of them was affected in the slightest.
Swoosh—
As the fireball settled, the raging heat gradually subsided.
The dancing flames receded like an outgoing tide, revealing a petite figure slowly emerging from within. The hem of her clothes was still dotted with tiny, flickering embers.
"Cough, cough, cough... Hey, aren't you two being a little too heartless?"
A series of coughs was followed by an aggrieved complaint.
Who else could it be but Liu Xiyue, whom they had completely forgotten?
At this moment, Liu Xiyue's once jet-black hair had turned entirely crimson, brilliant and vibrant like blazing flames.
Her equally fiery red eyes shone with dazzling brilliance.
Yet despite all that, she still possessed the stature of a loli.
Her small and adorable figure stood in stark contrast to the blazing aura surrounding her, creating an oddly charming sense of cuteness.
"Oh? Are you okay?"
Silver Wolf asked casually.
"Cough, cough... Okay? Do I look okay to you?"
Liu Xiyue's little face puffed up with anger, looking as though she were about to explode on the spot.
Although she wasn't seriously injured, she certainly wasn't in good shape.
Her normally spotless loungewear was now covered in soot and dust, blackened to the point where its original color could barely be recognized.
The hem had been scorched by the flames, and her originally fair little feet were now forced to stand barefoot on the dirt, covered with fine dust and grit.
Then she looked at Firefly and Silver Wolf.
The two of them still appeared completely composed and immaculate, without even the slightest hint of disorder.
Looking back and forth between her own miserable appearance and their neat, pristine state, the corners of Liu Xiyue's mouth twitched.
She had originally been worried that the sudden attack would catch the two of them off guard.
Who would have thought their reactions would actually be even faster than hers?
More importantly...
How did these two even manage to change into different outfits in an instant?
Liu Xiyue raised a hand to wipe the dust from her face before complaining unhappily,
"Cough, cough... You two are way too much. You didn't even take me with you when you ran."
Silver Wolf scratched her head awkwardly and laughed dryly.
"I wasn't fully awake yet."
"Sorry..."
Firefly lowered her head apologetically.
"I thought you'd already gone out."
There was nothing more Liu Xiyue could say.
She could only roll her eyes at the pair dramatically, her fiery red eyes clearly saying 'You two are unbelievable.'
Then she resigned herself to brushing the dust off her clothes.
Suddenly, Liu Xiyue turned toward the ruins behind her.
Her tiny fists clenched tightly.
Her blazing red eyes burned with fury, and even her crimson hair seemed ready to stand on end.
She pointed toward the devastated ruins and shouted furiously,
"Who did this?! Come out! You actually dare to blow up my house?! I'm not letting this go!"